PART I

AWAKENING TO NATURE

Try to be mindful and let things take their natural course. Then your mind will become still in any surroundings, like a clear forest pool. All kinds of wonderful, rare animals will come to drink at the pool, and you will clearly see the nature of all things. You will see many strange and wonderful things come and go, but you will be still. This is the happiness of the Buddha.

— Achaan Chah, A Still Forest Pool

Some time ago, I had the pleasure of listening to renowned wildlife researcher Jane Goodall in conversation with the Mestizo Indian people from the Peruvian rainforest. Knowing how close they live to the land, Jane asked the Mestizo Indians how they distinguish between healing and poisonous herbal plants. The Mestizo Indians looked somewhat perplexed and answered that they listen to the plants in order to sense which are healing and which are harmful. For them, that deep level of attunement to the natural world is so innate they don't realize how unique it is.

Developing such a finely tuned attention requires us to perceive with all of our senses and live with an acute sensitivity to life. In Buddhist practice, this quality is called "mindfulness." It is an ability to be profoundly present, which can be cultivated through meditation practice. In a mindful state, we don't just look with our eyes; we arepresent with all the senses. Listening with our eyes and seeing with our ears teaches us how to open our hearts and minds to a deeper level of receptivity and listening.

Awakening to nature necessitates mindful attunement. This understanding is often lost even on those who spend great amounts of time in nature. I often hear nature enthusiasts saying things like, "I did the Rockies last year," or "I did the Grand Canyon," as if "doing" in nature is the ultimate wilderness experience. While things like jet-skiing and four-wheeling may be interesting experiences, our connection to nature is disrupted by the loud noise of engines, which doesn't necessarily allow a deeper personal connection with the forces and elements of nature. Even while backpacking and biking in the deepest backcountry, we can still be unaware of our environment, lost in our thoughts, planning our next novel or vacation, absorbed in endless conversation, or worrying about what lies ahead.

In order to awaken to nature, we must also get out of our homes, offices, and cars. I have driven through spectacular mountain country many times, enjoying the stunning mountain views and vistas of snow-capped ranges. But when I step out of the car, a very different experience vividly unfolds. I remember a time when I drove over a beautiful pass in the High Sierra. At the zenith I decided to stop. I stepped out of the car and turned off the engine. Instead of just enjoying the view, I suddenly felt the coolness of the mountain breeze, the crisp clarity of the high-altitude air tingling my face. I could hear the wind whistling through the silver fir trees and a raven calling from across the profoundly silent valley. I felt the frosty crunchiness of the ground under my feet, not yet warmed by the morning sun. I opened to the rich tapestry of what it means to be outside, intimate with the elements. Instead of viewing nature as a passing scene in a movie, I felt fully alive and connected to it.

While we can enjoy nature through the windows of our cars or on television, that's not how we awaken to nature's gifts. We need to get out into the misty woods, open meadows, sandy beaches, snowy mountains, and silent deserts if we are to receive the blessings that Achaan Chah spoke of. In the outdoors, our mind can wake up and becomes as clear as the still forest pool, our heart opens to a profound sense of love for every living breathing thing, and our body comes to a deep rest. We reconnect with our sense of awe and wonder at the mystery and abundance of being alive. The teachings and practices of this book will come alive only if you leave the comfort of your home and explore the natural world, which is always beckoning, just outside your front door.

Waking up to Life

The Master is awake
He watches.... He is clear
How happy he is, following the path of the awakened
For he sees that wakefulness is life.

— The Buddha, The Dhammapada

Soon after the Buddha's enlightenment, a young man impressed by the Buddha's radiance and presence asked him inquisitively, "Who are you? Are you a god?" The Buddha simply replied, "No." The young man then asked, "Then are you a man, or are you a spirit?" Again the Buddha said, "No." Confounded by these answers, the man finally asked, "Then what are you?" The Buddha replied, "I am awake." The man, bewildered by the response, shook his head and walked away.

The title "Buddha" literally means "to be awake." The central aim of Buddhist practice is to learn how to awaken to life — to wake up from confusion and suffering and to live a life imbued with awareness, compassion, and freedom.

The Buddha attained enlightenment under a Bodhi tree, as he meditated through the night of the new moon. It is not insignificant that he "awoke" while meditating outdoors. In fact, all of his spiritual practice prior to his awakening, as well as the forty-five years of his teaching ministry, took place in the forest. His life demonstrates how nature is a perfect place to cultivate this awakened quality of mind.

It is impossible for an animal to survive in the wild without developing a keen awareness of its environment. Animals need to look out for danger, sources of food and water, and mating partners. Watch how a coyote stalks through tall grassy meadows alert to every movement in...